Perfect 10s halt Aussies

BYRON Bay's Danny Wills and a host of other Australians bowed out of the world championship surfing event in Fiji yesterday, the victims of a parade of perfect 10 barrels.

Gold Coaster Dean Morrison is the only Aussie remaining in the contest after eight were eliminated from the Globe WCT Fiji. But but he faces the hottest surfer around in six-times world champion Kelly Slater in the quarter-finals today at the Restaurants break off Tavarua island.

Morrison grabbed a winning ride in the final 10 seconds of his fourth-round heat with Neco Padaratz to advance.

Slater posted a perfect 10 and a 9.67 in his victory over Wollongong's Michael Lowe, while another three rides were awarded the highest possible score in a day of sublime surfing.

Hawaiian Bruce Irons had a 10 in his fourth round win against older brother Andy, the triple world champion, and another perfect ride in his quarter-final win over American Cory Lopez when he somehow emerged from a 15-second barrel on his backhand.